shopping

What makes Shrewsbury special, is the amount of independent shops that have managed to flourish and remain here,even in the face of difficult economic times. Decisions we make, about how and what and where we shop will have a huge effect on how the town looks in the future. If we don't want it to become a ghost town, we have to be prepared to come in, preferably by using public transport, and use the shops, Market, pubs and restaurants, and celebrate the range of architecture and diversity, and that keeps our money within the town. If we shop in the big 'faceless five' supermarkets, the money we spend does not stay local, and there are huge transportation and environmental costs, as goods are moved around the country.

Do browse the other sections of this guide, there's lots in the Food and Building and Recycling sections as well. See:-

www.closethedoor.org.uk Close the door run a brilliant campaign to put a stop to heating pavements and wasting energy in the form of heat, simply by persuading shops to close their doors! The Carbon Trust says 54% of heat from a store is wasted, by going straight out of the door. Research says that customers are prepared to open doors into shops, and that closed doors have a minimum impact on sales!

By Nature

Clothes And Shoes

All parts of textiles and shoes, bags and belts can be recycled and reused – even into industrial rags or underfelt, so never just bin them. Give good quality clean items to Jumble sales or charity shops, for reuse and resale, and thus fundraising, or second-best place them in clothing skips at supermarket recycling centres. Clothes skips at Battlefield HRC, which also has a skip for- Bras - recycled for Cancer Research or take them to M&S who pass them on to Oxfam.

£4 per bag paid for clean clothes, rags, shoes and belts - if taken to the demountable shed near TKMaxx at the Meole Brace carpark. They wont take underwear, school or work wear, nor dressing gowns and onesies. Open 9-5 weekdays, 10-4 Sats, 10-3 Suns. 01543 897801. (They also buy mobile phones)

Cosmetics/Perfumes

Try to choose containers that may be recyclable, with minimal packaging. e.g. glass perfume bottles can be recycled with your jars and wine bottles, most plastic pots can be recycled with your plastic bottle collection.

country linens

Town centre location for Natural wool duvets/pillows from 'Devon Duvets, www.thewoolroom.com gives more info on ‘why use wool bedding?’

Enjoy

Shop will close July 2017 they are still available on line ! Organic, ethically sourced and produced, range of fashion clothing made from soya, bamboo, hemp etc., plus handmade cosmetics and vegan/cruelty free perfumes

Greenfibres

HIbiscus

Jewellery

There may be some family jewellery, or buy from antique shops or commission local skilled crafts people to make bespoke jewellery,
or choose ethically-mined and sold gold - this makes a lot of difference to the lives of miners and their communities.

People Tree

PETA

PETA People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

They say ‘ Animals are NOT ours to eat, wear, experiment on, use for entertainment or abuse in any way.’
Peta is a American organisation campaigning for cruelty-free clothing, animal friendly lifestyles.
They say – keep wildlife out of your wardrobe (leather and fur).

Since March 2013, experiments on animals for cosmetics have been banned in the EU.

RAGS

We've noticed how many rags end up being burnt in the incinerator at Battlefield. Unnecessary waste, as all the 16 charity shops in Shrewsbury can earn extra money from selling on their rags to rag merchants, who can sell on for re-manufacture for texitle products like carpet underlay etc. To help the charities out, please make sure whether you are giving them clothes and white goods, or rags, and label the bag so it's clear. They ask that no-one leaves any bags outside their premises after closing time, as these are thrown away. If you want to sell your rags, take them bagged to the demountable shed near TK MAXX at the Meole Brace car park. See also clothes.

savesomegreen.co.uk

Shoes

can be repaired and resoled, at a fraction of the original purchase cost. Most charity shops or clothes banks will be able to reuse or recycle them. Or Clarks, in Pride Hill Shopping Centre, will recycle for UNICEF.

stokes

Textiles and Clothes

Take clean clothing, bedlinen and textiles - even clean rags and shoes to Charity shops, where they are bought by the public for re-use or sold on to textile dealers who sort for re-use or recycling. Or put in textile skips at supermarkets, or at Battlefield HRC .
(Please don’t put in duvets or pillows or rugs – these could be offered to Home Essentials, if in good condition, or local dog’s homes.)

The Hemp Trading Company

TRAID

A charity which recycles and remakes textiles into new clothes, sold in their London shops or online, to fund health and education projects abroad. Also does education projects in the Uk on making new clothes from used. http://www.traidremade.com

Turtle Doves

Handmade accessories, fingerless gloves, hats, snoods and more, all made from pre-loved jumpers, often cashmere. See them at Made in Shropshire and Farmers Markets. There's a list of current stockists on the website.

wear2

A new textile process - an ecostitching technology which allows garments to be selectively disassembled at end of life, the seams can be processed to fall apart, and then the garments can be re-used in various ways.

zest

Pachacuti

Have won The Fashion and Accessory category at the Observer Ethical Awards - they make panama hats, and also bags which are made in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia - Fairtrade, sustainable environmental practices.

Disclaimer: The information provided by this website guide is believed to be correct and is given in good faith. We cannot be held responsible for information provided by third parties which may be proven to be incorrect. If you find any information of this kind please report it here.

This website is lottery funded and not sponsored in any way at all. Shrewsbury friends of the earth is a voluntary organisation, if you would like to find out more please visit our website.